Green tire holder

Abstract

The green tire holder disclosed herein comprises a vertical shaft having a plurality of uniformly spaced apart arms extending outwardly therefrom, a slidable shoe mounted on each of said arms for engaging a bead of a green tire and a slidable tread support mechanism mounted on each arm near the outer end thereof. The tire holder includes means for moving all of the shoes simultaneously toward or away from the center by equal amounts, so that the shoes at all times are equidistant from the center. Each tread support mechanism includes, a tiltable support plate, preferably flat, which engages the tread portion of the green tire, and a support arm for supporting the plate. The tread support mechanisms are slidable independently of the shoes. The angle of inclination of the tread support plates may be varied, e.g. from 0° to 60° to the horizontal at 15° intervals.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A green tire holder comprising: (a) a plurality of arms extending outwardly from a common center;   (b) a bead centering shoe slidably mounted on each of said arms and having a convex tire-engaging surface thereon;   (c) movement means linking each of said arms together for causing said shoes to slide equal distances simultaneously toward or away from said center, so that said shoes are always equidistant from said center;   (d) a tread support mechanism slidably mounted on each of said arms for effecting pressure contact support over a relatively large area of the outer surface of a green tire along a tread or sidewall thereof, said mechanism being more remote from the center than its respective shoe, said mechanism including a tiltable support plate for contacting said tire along said tread or sidewall surface thereof; and   (e) adjustable means on each arm located between and connecting the tread support mechanism and its respective shoe for slidably adjusting the position of each of said tread support mechanisms relative to the shoe which is mounted on the same arm, said adjustable means causing said tread support mechanism and its respective shoe to move together as a unit upon actuation of the movement means.   
     
     
       2. A green tire holder according to claim 1 including a centrally located support shaft for supporting said arms. 
     
     
       3. A green tire holder according to claim 1 in which said adjustable means includes an adjusting screw supported by hangers attached respectively to said shoe and said tread support mechanism for varying the distance between said tread support mechanism and said shoe, said hangers engaging said screw so that said tread support members move as the shoes are moved when no adjustment with said screw is made. 
     
     
       4. A green tire holder according to claim 1 in which said tread support mechanism further includes a support arm for supporting said tiltable support plate. 
     
     
       5. A green tire holder according to claim 1 in which said arms extend horizontally and said support plate is tiltable through an angle of 0° to an angle of 60° to the horizontal. 
     
     
       6. A green tire holder according to claim 1 in which each of said bead centering shoes and each of said tread support mechanisms includes guide means for guiding sliding movement of said shoe or said tread support mechanism along the arm on which said shoe or said tread support mechanism is mounted. 
     
     
       7. A green tire holder according to claim 1 in which said convex tire-engaging surface is an outwardly directed essentially vertical surface. 
     
     
       8. A green tire holder according to claim 1 in which said movement means includes a vertical shaft at said center, a plate rotatably mounted on said shaft, means for rotating said plate, and a plurality of connecting links, each of which is secured to said plate and to one of said shoes.